Car-door hanger and door



D l March 11 1921.. 1,436,525 M. E. JONES CAR DOOR HANGER AND DOOR Fi led Feb. 2, 1922 2 Shees-Sheet l March '11 1924 11,486,525

M. E. JONES CAR DOOR HANGER AND DOOR vFiled Feb, 2, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented ar. l1, 1924.

TED STATES MIRRELL E. JONES, 0F PRESCOTT, ARIZONA, ASSIGNGR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM P. HASSETT, 0F ASHFOR-K, ARIZONA.

CAR-DOOR HANGER AND DOOR.

Application filed February 2, 1922. Serial No. 533,613.

T'o all whom t may con-cern:

Be it known that MIRRELL E. Jours, a citizen of the United States, residing at Prescott, in the county of Yavapai and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Door Hanger and Doors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a device of this character wherein the hanger comprises upper and lower tracks, a Vdoor or closure slidably mounted therein, together with means carried by the upper track for retaining the door or closure in place.

Another purpose is to provide a door or closure, which is durable, strong and substantial in every way, and capable of being easily opened and closed without binding. Furthermore. the present structure of door or hanger is easy to repair, since the abutments can be removed from the rear of the tracks, allowing the door or closure to be removed from the rear.

Still another purpose consists in the provision of a door, wherein suit-able means is employed, acting to prevent water from entering the door opening. Y

A further purpose consists in the provision of an automatic latch or lock, carried by the lower rail, acting to automatically fasten the door or closure, when the door is moved to a closed position.

A further purpose is the provision of an automatic latch or lock, the arrangement and construction of which, being such that the latch or lock may fall behind one of the lower rear rollers of the door, when the door is moved to a closed position, and also including means for the reception of a seal, which retains the latch or lock in a locked position, in such wise that it cannot be depressed out of the path of the rear lower roller of the. door, unless the seal is broken.

A still further purpose is the provision of improved means for mounting the upper and lower rails on the side of the door, particularly the lower rail, and in such wise that the latch or lock may be pivotally mounted between the rail and the car, the

- upper rail being` arranged, not only to support the upper rollers, but also to act as means for retaining the door in position.

While the design and construction at present illustrated and set forth are deemed preferable, it is obvious that as a result of a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible of changes, and the right to these changes is claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as will beI hereinafter set forth, shown in the` drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure l isa View in side elevation of a portion of a box car, showing the improved hanger and door as applied, and constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same on line 2-2, showing the upper and lower hangers, the rails, and mount-ing of the latch or lock;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3&3 of Figure l, showing the means for preventing considerable water entering the door opening, the. arrangement and construction of said means being such as to permit the door to open without interference;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail View in side elevation of the lower rear corner of the door and its hanger, and the latch or lock mechanism, with the lower rail section.` more clearly showing the lock or latch; i

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5 5 of Figure 4, showing one of the supports for the lower rail; and

Figure 6 is a detail plan View of one of the plates 37.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a portion of a boX car, which is provided with a door opening 2, and 3 and 4 denote upper and lower support-ing rails, upon which the hangers operate. The upper hanger is angular in cross sect-ion, comprising the portion 5 which is fastened by suitable bolts or the like 6 to the car, the laterally outwardly projecting portion 7, which overhangs the upper edge of the door 8. The laterally outwardly protruding part 7 terminates in a downwardly extending flange 9, which overlies the outer face of the door, in such wise as to retain the door in-close position to the door opening. In fact the flange 9 prevents the door from tilting outwardly.

Secured by bolts lO to the upper outer lil taceot` the door are plates ll. which have lateral portions 1Q., terminating in the upstanding parts 13. These parts 13 have overhangin j rectangular portions il l'or the reception 5 ot the bolts l5. Mounted upon the bolts l5 are rollers l5', which ride upon the outwardlv laterally extending portion 7, there being flanges l? to engage the outer tace ot the flange 9 of the rail. Suitable washers 10 18 are mounted upon the bolts l5 between the rollers and the opposite portions of the hangers or plates 1l. Y

The door 8 has its outer tace reinforced by the intersecting' diagonal strips or straps l5 ot metal 19, and secured to the lower edge otA the door is an angle bar or strip 9,0. This angle strip 2O engages the outer 'face ot the door and the under edge, Secured to the Ivertical front and rear edges or' the door are angle strips 2l. and which engage the outer tace ot thel door, and the tront and rear edges thereo't. rl"he flange 23 orf 'the angle strip 2l which engages the front edge ot the door terminates iush with the inner tace of the door, whereas the flange 2l ot the angle strip 22 extends beyond the inner tace olf the door. llolts Q5 and QG secure the angle strips 2l. and 22 to the door, and secured to the inner tace of the door adjacent its iront edge is a metallic strip 21th@ saine bolts 25 which secure the strip 2l in position also secures the strip in position. Secured by bolts| QS and 29 to the bodyv of the car are forward and rear angle strips 30 and 8l, the lateral {lang-e 32 and strip 3() engages the metal strip 2T, and acts as means to shed and keep out the water'iirom the door opening. The flange 211 oit the angle strip 22 overlies the lateral flange S3 ot '40 the angle strip 3l, also acting to shed and keep out the water. lt will be noted that the overlapping ot the flange 3Q with the strip Q7, and the lapping oit the flange Q4` over the lange are such as to permit the door to slide rearwardl.,7 to an open position. These overlapping flanges also act to limit the door or closure in its closing position. Secured to the upper portion of the outer tace ot the door, immediately adjacent its upper' edge is a strip olf steel or iron The angle pieces or bars 20, 2l. and 22 and the strip B/-l act to reinforce and strengthen the door. Y .lt'will also be noted that the upper ends ol theangle pieces or lbars and and vthe upper ends ot the strips "i9 terminate short oli the upper edge or the door. thereby leaving spaces or room as at tor the reception ol the plates il, which constitute the v opp-cr hangers. The Strip lill also terminates yshort ot' the trout and rear edges ot' the door,

to permit oi the 'lastening oit the plates or hangers ll.

Secured 'to the lower portion. of the outer lace of the car by means ot bolts 36 are plates 37, which have outwardly extending brac-kets 38. The outer portions of the brackets 38 are spaced from the plates 37, and act as supports for the lower track or rail Ll. Suitable bolts 39 pass through the rail et and through the outwardly extending brackets and receive nuts 40, which secure the lower rail or track in place.

The lower ends or' the angle strips or bars 2l and 22 and the lower ends of the reinforcing' strips 19, and the ends of the angle bar or strip 20 terminate short of the lower, forward and rear edges of the door, thereby leaving room or spaces as at 4:1 for the reception ofthe lower hangers l2 of the door. These hangers 42 have U-shaped portions which straddle the lower portion of the door, therebeing bolts et which pass through the arms of the U-shaped portions, and hold the hangers in place. The lower portions of the hangers are also U-shaped, and mounted in bearings of the arms l5 ot the lower U- shaped portions oit the lower hangers are bolts 46, which carry the lower door supporting rollers ill'. rlhese rollers are flanged on their opposite ends, so that the rollers may straddle the lower rail or track, thereby acting to retain the door in position. The outwardly extending brackets of the plates 37, where they connect with each other have their upper portions cut away as at 49, to permit the inner flanges ot the rollers 4:7 to pass, during the opening and closing movement of the: door. f

Secured by bolts 49, 50 and 51 to the up-V Y Secured to the outer face ol the door are handles 56, which are disposedperpendicularly. Ilhesehandles are arranged in such wise on the lower portion ot the door as will permit them to be: reached from the ground or platform. rlhe handles 56 are til-shaped, and have lateral portions at their upper and lower ends` 'which are secured by vbolts 5T to the door.

Atilted as at 58 between the lower rail and the side of 'the car is a block or support 59, of the latch or locking member 60.- This block or support has its outer face recessed as at Gi, and mounted in said recess on a pivot or tulcrui'n bolt 62 is the latch 'lhe latch 60 is pivotally mounted so as to possess a short arm 63 and a long' a-rni 641-. The short arm 63 extends at an obtuse angle to llO the long arm 64, so that the latch is gravity actuated, so as to cause the short arm to fall in position behind the rear lower roller of the door, when the door reaches a closed position, thereby locking the door in place. W hen the latch gravity actuates, the short arm 63 moves through an opening 65 in the upper horizontal flange of the lower rail 4, the beveled edge 66 of the opening 65 acting to limit the latch or lock in its locked position. The recess (il of the block 59 is of such construction as to permit the latch or lock to tilt. The depending flange of the lower rail or track 4 and the terminal which is weighted) of the latch or lock 6() are provided with elongated openings 67, which are designed to receive a sealed sheet metal strip 68, to prevent the latch or lock from being unlocked, until the seal is broken. I'lhe short arm of the latch has an opening (39, which may receive the shackle 70 of a padlock, which. will prevent the operation of the latch or lock, unless the pact lock (not shown) is unlocked or broken. ln fact either one or both of the seals may be employed, either separately or the same time.

Obviously when the latch or lock is not sealed, the door may be moved to a closed position, in which case the rear lower roller will simply ride over and depress the short arm ti?) of the latch or lock, in orde-r to permit the short arm to assume a position to the rear of the roller. A depression of the short arm will permit the door to be moved rea-rwardly to an open position.

The handles 56 stand lengthwise of the door, to prevent the hands of the operator from being injured, when closing the door, as they are intermediate the perpendicular edges of the door. Also the handles can be reached from the ground or from the platform, as they are placed suitable for either. Every time the door is closed it automatically fastens itself, and furthermore the latch or lock is so mounted and protected as to prevent the same from freezing. The latch or lock may be operated from a locked position to an unlocked position by engaging the hand ofthe operator under the lower rail. or track when applying pressure to the long arm .ol the latch, and by pulling upon one of the handles the door may be moved rearwardly to an open position. However when the door is closed. the latch or lock may be sealed at either or both ends thereof as previously stated. lt. will be noted that theI latch or lock is practically at all times out of sight. and is protected from the weather and has no projecting parts to become accidcntally broken ofl'l The door proper is cross braced, and the parts are substantial and well bolted together. Furthermore the angle irons about the perpendicular and bottom edges protect the door from chipping off at the corners, and will also act to obviate warping. The structure for rendering the door more or less waterproof is cheap, simple and easy to construct, and is not in the way when it is necessary to remove the door.

the invention having been set forth, what is claimed is l. In combination with a cardoor mounting including tracks located above and below a door opening and further including` a door carrying rollers traveling along the tracks, latching means comprising an elongated latch bar pivoted intermediate its ends within the lower track and having one end pro- `iectable through an elongated slot in the track, the other end being weighted whereby the latch bar will normallyr gravitate into operative position with its active end eX- tendino in the path of travel of the rollers, said latch bar extending longitudinally of and being enclosed within the track.

A car door latch comprising an elongated bar extending longitudinally of and pivoted within a track upon which travel rollers carried by a door, the track being termed with a slot through which one end of the latch bar is proj ectalole, the other end of the bar being weighted whereby to be clisposed gravitationally in normal position with its active end extending through the slot in the path of travel of the rollers.

3. A. car door latch comprisingr an elongated bar extending longitudinally of and pivoted within a track upon which travel rollers carried by a door the track being formed with a slot through which one end of the latch bar is projectable, the other end of the bar being weighted whereby to be disposed gravitationally in normal position with its active end extending through the slot in the path of travel of the rollers, the weighted end of the bar being formed with an opening and the track being formed with an opening with which said first named opening registers when the latch is in operative position, said registering openings being adapted to receive a seal.

4. rlcar door latch comprising an elongated bar extending longitudinally of and pivoted within a track upon which travel rollers carried by a. door, the track being formed with a slot through which one end of the latch bar is projectable, the other end of the bar being weighted whereby to be disposed gravitationally in normal position with its active end extending through the slot in the path of travelof the rollers, the active end of the bar being formed with an opening designed to receive the shackle of a padlock whereby to lock the latch in operative position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alliX my signature.

MIRRELL E'. JONES.

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